On the magnet, magnetick bodies also, and on the great magnet the earth: a new physiology, demonstrated by many arguments & experiments
History
On the magnet, magnetick bodies also, and on the great magnet the earth: a new physiology, demonstrated by many arguments & experiments
Magnetism -- Early works to 1800
coast of Guinea magnetick implements deviate by a third part of one rumbe
to the East: in Cape Verde Islands by a half: on the coast of Morocco by
two thirds: in England at the mouth of the Thames by a whole rumbe: and at
London by nearly eleven degrees and one third. For indeed the moving
magnetick virtue is stronger in a higher latitude; and the larger regions
extending toward the poles dominate the more, as is easily apparent
anywhere on a terrella. For as in the case of true Direction magnetick
bodies tend toward the pole (namely, toward the stronger end, the whole
earth causing the motion), so also do they incline a little toward the
stronger and higher parts by the action of the whole along with the
conjoint action of iron bodies.
* * * * *
{155} CHAP. II.
That the variation is caused by the inæquality of the
_projecting parts of the earth_.
Demonstration of this may manifestly be made [Illustration] * by means of a
terrella in the following way: let there be a round loadstone somewhat
imperfect in some part, and impaired by decay (such an one we had with a
certain part corroded to resemble the Atlantick or great Ocean): place upon
it some fine iron wire of the length of two barleycorns, as in the
following figure. A B, a Terrella in certain parts somewhat imperfect and
of unæqual virtue on the circumference. The versoria E, F, do not vary, but
look directly to the pole A; for they are placed in the middle of the firm
and sound part of the terrella and somewhat distant from the imperfect
part: that part of the surface which is distinguished by dots and
transverse lines is the weaker. The versorium O also does not vary (because
it is placed in the middle of the imperfect part), but is directed toward
the pole, {156} just as near the western Azores on the earth. The versoria
H and L do vary, for they incline toward the sounder parts very near them.
As this is manifest in a terrella whose surface is sensibly rather
imperfect, so also is it in others whole and perfect, when often one part
of the stone has stronger external parts, which nevertheless do not
disclose themselves manifestly to the senses. In such a terrella the
demonstration of the variation and the discovery of the stronger parts is
on this wise. [Illustration] * Let A be the pole, B the place of the
variation, C the stronger regions; then the horizontal versorium at B
varies from the pole A toward C: so that both the variation is shown and
the stronger places of the loadstone recognized. The stronger surface is
also found by a fine iron wire of the length of two barleycorns: for since
at the pole of the terrella it rears up perpendicularly, but in other
places inclines toward the æquator, if in one and the same parallel circle
it should be more erect in one place than in another; where the wire is
raised more upright, there the part and surface of the terrella is
stronger. Also when the iron wire placed over the pole inclines more to one
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